WILCOX, NE---May 2, 2016 - “The
American Corn Growers Foundation (ACGF) continues to advocate
renewable energy as an essential economic development component
for the future of the rural economy. It’s our top priority,”
said Gale Lush, ACGF Chairman from Wilcox, Nebraska. “Ethanol is
a well-established and powerful economic driver for rural
America, underpinning corn prices when exports are stagnant or
fail to deliver as projected or promised by free trade policy
deals. In 2015 ethanol-driven domestic corn demand did a lot
more than defend corn prices. It delivered 85,967 well paying,
stable, direct jobs and 271,440 indirect or induced jobs across
the U. S., fueling domestic economic growth.”

Lush announced that the ACGF
continues to lead on wind and solar energy advocacy with ACGF
Director Dan McGuire as Co-Chair of the 9th Annual Nebraska Wind
and Solar Conference to be held at the Cornhusker hotel in
Lincoln on November 7-8, 2016. “ACGF is proud to again be a
Kilowatt sponsor of the 2016 conference,” said Lush. “We’re
pleased to join other key national and state wind and solar
industry leaders that are sponsoring this year’s Nebraska
conference. We urge local, county and state officials to
register for the conference at
www.NebraskaWindandSolarConference.com.

“Each new 200 megawatt (MW) wind
farm built in Nebraska generates about $1,325,200 in annual
property tax revenue, according to one industry study. That is a
big-infusion and new tax revenue source to help take the
property tax burden off of urban and rural property owners,”
said Lush. “Wind can help finance school budgets at a time when
counties are looking for new economic development projects to
expand their property tax base. Nebraska is expected to have
about 1,325 MW of installed wind energy capacity by the end of
2016. By catching up to our neighboring states Nebraska can also
expand our property tax base with wind and solar energy
projects. Iowa recently announced an additional 2,000 MW of new
wind development. Given Nebraska’s tremendous wind resource we
could match that if just 10 Nebraska counties each have a 200 MW
wind farm to generate $13 million in new annual property taxes.
Instead of subsidizing Wyoming, by spending our money for their
coal and paying their 7% severance tax, we can keep our money
right here in Nebraska.”

Wind for Schools a 2016
Kilowatt Sponsor of Nebraska Wind and Solar Conference

Dan McGuire, Facilitator of the
Nebraska Wind for Schools project reports that the program is
pleased to be a Kilowatt sponsor of the 2016 Nebraska Wind and
Solar Conference. “Our annual conference is all about public and
policy outreach and education on wind and solar industry issues.
The Wind for Schools program is all about wind energy education
and career development. We engage rural, K-12 schools by making
wind energy curriculum and career development resources
available and by connecting schools and interested students with
Nebraska colleges including UNL’s College of Electrical and
Computer Engineering and the UNL Wind Applications Center,” said
McGuire. “New career opportunities include a wide range of jobs,
from electrical engineers, to wind turbine technicians, the
fastest growing profession in the U.S. Wind power now supports
88,000 jobs across 50 states, but that’s just the beginning.
According to Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy
Association (AWEA), hitting the goal of quadrupling wind power
by 2030, to 20 percent of the power grid, could create 380,000
jobs and add $650 million in annual lease payments. That’s a big
deal for our young people and their future careers. Rebuilding
America’s infrastructure ties in directly with the Wind for
Schools program.”

“35 years of ‘globalization’
policies has led U.S. businesses, factories and jobs to be
outsourced to foreign countries. Now renewable energy can take
the lead in reindustrializing the U.S., including jobs that
modernize the electrical grid, said McGuire. “A recent
announcement that the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) would
build on its ongoing efforts to modernize the grid and
accelerate the deployment of renewable energy by participating
in the development of the Plains & Eastern Clean Line Project
(Clean Line), a major clean energy infrastructure project is a
great example. U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz said moving
remote and plentiful power to areas where electricity is in high
demand is essential for building the grid of the future.
Secretary Moniz added that building modern transmission that
delivers renewable energy to more homes and businesses will
create jobs, cut carbon emissions, and enhance the reliability
of our grid.”